Call-box



(No Model) v1' Sheets-Sheet'l.'

H. H. CUTLER.

`CALL BOX.

No. 504,488.: Patented sept. 5, 189s'.

wim-35555 y -INvENTuR @2f/M .4 JQWMWQ@ j gym ATTDBNEY (No Model.) 4 3- Sheets-Sheet 2.' l

H. H. GUTLER.

GALL BOX. l No. 504,488. i Patented Sept. 5,1898.

,H1 #"'HZ III ll'lnlvlull WITNEE INVENTUH (No Model.) 3 sheetshsheet 3.

H. RUUTLER. GALL BOX.

Paten-ted Sept. 5, 1893.

A ATTUBNBY UNITED STATES f PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. CUTLER, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

CALL-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,488, dated September 5, 1893.

Application filed January 13., 1892. Serial No. 417,990- (No modal.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. CUTLEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Call-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to call boxes for district telegraph Work and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap and convenient box.

My invention is illustrated in the accom'- panying drawings wherein Figure lis a plan View of my box with cover removed; Fig. 2 a vertical cross section with certain parts omitted; Fig. 3 a diagrammatic .view showing the circuits through the box;

Fig. 4 a side view with certain parts removed; Fig. 5 a diagrammatic View of the line with the boxes in circuit; Fig. 6 an enlarged detail section of driving shaft; Fig. 7 a detail of handle and elbow crank lever; Fig. 8 a reverse view of insulation disk; Fig. 9 a detail of alarm bell. Fig. 10 is a detail of the plate on the lower side of the insulation piece.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all figures.

A is the base about which rises the fiange B whereon the cover C is retained in position by means of the screws D. This flange is cut away at one portion to give room for the motion of the handle E which has the hand piece E.

F is a motor or clock mechanism which is not here shown in detail as not being part of the invention, and also because it is capable of large variation. v

F is the shaft driven by such clock mechanism and about it is coiled the spring F2 upwardly bearing against the plate F3 on the lower end of the insulation piece F4 which is rigid with the break wheel F5 or upon the insulation as shown in Fig. 6. The insulation piece F4, plate F2 and break wheel F5 are rigidly secured together and are secured upon the shaft so as to move vertically therealong but to rotate therewith. This is preferably accomplished as indicated in Fig. 6 by means of the pin F6, slot F7 and an exterior tubular part F8 which surrounds the shaft and on which the other parts are secured.

G is a plate of vulcanite or other insulation rigidly supported upon the base by means of tends over the lower projecting plate ou the insulation piece and each is slotted to receive the guide and stop pin G6.

H is a crescent shaped piece supported rigidly upon the insulation disk by the posts H H and provided with a series of keys H2 H2 which may be numbered or lettered as desired. Each key has a flange which limits its upward motion toward the crescent and a shoulder which limits its downward motion toward thev insulation plate and a lower extremity which passes freely through an aperture in the insulation plate and bears upon the spring piece G2. Fixed upon the insulation disk is the binding block H3 to which is adj ustably secured the finger H4 adapted to bear upon the break wheel F5. The spring pieces G3 G3 are connected by the strips G4 and G5 so as normally to make a continuous circuit from the first to the last of such strips. In electrical contact with the first strip is a block J from which leads the conductor J to the binding post J2 whence leads the conductor J3 to the main line. From this same binding post leads a conductor J4 to the magnet J5 whence leads the conductor J6 to the binding block H3. The clock mechanism is in electrical contact with the base of the box.

J 7 is a block in electrical contact with the last of the spring pieces G3. To this block J 7 is secured the depending pillar J S against which bears the spring J9 which is secured upon the post J10 and in electrical contact with the base of the box.

J11 is the second line wire and it leads to the binding post J12 and is in electrical contact with the base of thebox. The two main wires may be led in through the aperture J 43. The clock mechanism is supported on the baseby the short posts K K. The handle E is vpivoted and connected with the spring driven shaft of the clock mechanism so that IOO when the handle is moved its proper distance it will sufficiently wind the spring to cause it to drive the mechanism, when allowed to operate, a suticient length of time to give the call from the box. 4On the side of the insulation disk is secured the supportL on which by means of the pivot pin L is pivotally secured the elbow crank lever L3, one endol' which normally rests upon a shoulder L3 of the insulation piece F4, and the other end of which is provided with the insulation tip L4 which is adapted to bear upon the upper side of the spring J9 and break its contact with the post J3. The elbow crank lever is further provided with the cam shaped piece L3 adapted to be engaged by the pin L'j on the handle E. Fig. 7 illustrates this construction in detail.

The magnet J5 is provided with the armature N pivoted at N and normally redirected by the spring N3. This armature is provided at its inner end with an upwardly turned catch N3 adapted to engage the tooth N 4 on the plate F3 and thus to normally lock the clock mechanism from rotation. To this armature is also secured the rod i 5 with the bell clapper N6 adapted to strike the bell N7 and thus give the alarm. Y

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: A series of boxes of my invention are coupled in series in the main circuit and a box is placed at each point where oneis desired. A continuous current flows over such circuit and enters the box at, for example, the binding post. Here the circuit is divided wit-hin the box, one branch passing to the rst spring piece G3 and thence through the circuit of such pieces to the base of the box through the cut out at J3 J9 Jw and out upon the line. The other branch of the circuit includes the magnet, the break Wheel and the base of the box where it also connects with the main line. Normally therefore the cnrrent will flow through the box through such divided circuit, but the current passing through the magnet will be insuilicient to act nate it. lf now, an operator desires to use one of the boxes he will move the handle in the direction indicated by the arrow and since the pin L6 will engage the inner side of the cam L5 the elbow crank lever will be moved on its pivot so as to cause the end L4 to depress the spring J and move it away from the end of the post J3, thus momentarily breaking the circuit through the spring pieces G3. This action will shunt the total current through the magnet and cause it to draw up its armature and give one tap upon the bell which will indicate that the line is in order and current flowing. The excursion of the handle is then continued to the limit of its stroke at which time the spring will be sufficiently wound and when the handle is released the parts will be locked in position by the engagement of the armature rod with the tooth on the plate associated with the break wheel. By this movement of the handle and elbow crank lever the break wheel and its associated part will be moved downwardly so that all of the spring parts G3 which might have been by accident or otherwise depressed will be permitted t0 slip over the edge of the plate F3 and pass to the upper side thereof, so that when the elbow crank lever is released from the handle all of the spring pieces G3 Will be in their normal positions with their free ends above the plate F3. Now the apparatus is ready to be set for the particular call desired and the proper key is pushed inwardly by the operator into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This carries the associated spring G3 below the plate F3 and therefore disengages the spring piece G3 from its strip G5 and since the keys H3 are made of insulating material, breaks that branch of the circuit which includes the spring piece G3, and it will remain broken until the spring piece G3 i's again restored to its normal position in contact with the strip If now the key depressed were the one marked X a call will be given in the following manner: The circuit through one path being broken the current will traverse the other path or the path including the break wheel. The first action resulting from this shunting of the current to that path will energize the magnet and cause its armature and rod to move and will thus release the plate F3 and hence the clock mechanism shaft, whereupon the spring will cause the break wheel to rotate in the direction of the arrow. The circuit being completed through the linger H4 will be from time to time broken as this linger passes the notches in the wheel and this making and breaking of circuit will continue giving first the number of the box and then the successive call numbers until the spring G3 which has been depressed is treed by the coincidence ot its free end with the slot in the plate F3 whereupon it rises through such slot and engages the strip G5 and closes the circuit so as to shunt the current out of the magnet and break wheel and discontinue the making and breaking of circuit. By this means it is evident that the depression of any given key determines the number of breaks in the circuit and hence the number of signals at the central station. After the call has been given and the mechanism has ceased to operate the operator may take the handle and move it part way toward the limit of its excursion or far enough to again break the circuit through the spring piece J3, whereupon he will receive a signal, as for example three taps on the bell, which signal will indicate that the central station has received his call. By releasing the handle the parts will be restored to their normal positions. YVhen the operator desires to use the box if he moves the handle far enough to break the circuit through the springs G3 he will receive a single tap on his bell to indicate the good order of the line if roo IIO

the circuit is out of use and free for his employment. If however somebody else is using the line at that moment, or some other box is sending in a call, he will hear more than one tap on his bell resulting from the making and breaking of the circuit incident to the rotation of the break wheel in some other box and this will notify him that the line is busy whereupon he will free the handle and wait a reasonable length of time when he will again try his box.

It is evident that many features shown in the box might be varied and altered or substitutions might be made for them without departing from the spirit of my invention and that some of these features might be employed without the others and yet be employed in the manner indicated in my description. I do not wish therefore to be limited to the form of construction or arrangement of' parts shown.

The return call device is that portion of the apparatus which is adapted to give back on the box the signal from the receiving office which states or indicates to the person at the box that the call has been received. This is accomplished by the magnet J5, armature N, spring N2 and associated bell and hammer.

I claim-- 1. In a call box having a winding handle, or the like the combination of the main line with a divided circuit within the box, containing two branches, one having the signal wheel and the other a circuit breaker adapted to be automatically opened, to shunt the whole current through the signal wheel, by the motion of the winding handle.

2. In a call box having a winding handle, or the like the combination of the main line with a divided circuit within the box containing two branches, one of said branches having a signal wheel and a starting magnet therein, and the other a circuit breaker automatically openedy by the motion of the winding handle.

3. In a call box the combination of the main line with a divided circuit within the box containing two branches, one of said branches having a signal wheel and a starting magnet therein, and the other a circuit breaker automatically opened by the motion of the Winding handle, and a series of circuit breaking keys adapted each to be manually operated and thus to determine how long such branch of the circuit shall be broken.

4. In a call box having a winding handle,

or the like the combination of the main circuit with two branches thereto within the box, one containing a starting magnet adapted also to give an alarm and embracing the signal wheel and Iinger, and the other containing a circuit breaker whereby the current will normally pass through the latter circuit but when it is broken will be shunted to the former and thus give an alarm to show whether or not the line is busy.

l 5. In. a call box having a winding handle, or the like the combination of the main line with two branches in the box, one of said branches containing a signal wheel and tinger and a magnet adapted to control the release for the driving mechanism, the other containing a circuit breaker adapted to be momentarily operated to break the circuit by the motion of the winding handle so as to cause the magnet in the other branch to give a signal that the box is ready for use.

6. In acall box the combination of the main line with two branches in the box, one of said branches containing a signal wheel and finger and a magnet adapted to control the release for the driving mechanism, theother containing a circuit breaker adapted to be momen- `tarily operated to break the circuit by the motion of the winding handle so as to cause the magnet in the other branch to give a signal that the box is ready for use, and circuit breaking keys connected withr the second branch whereby the same is broken manually and the mechanism thus freed by shunting the current to the other branch.

7. In a call box the combination of the following element's: a winding handle, a signaling wheel, a motor mechanism adapted to be wound up by the handle land when released to operate the signal wheel, and aseries of v starting keys which when depressed start the box or release its mechanism and at the same time determine what call will be given.

8. In a call box the combination of the following elements: a winding handle to energize the driving motor and a series of circuit breaking and signaling keys and means whereby all of such keys are automatically re-set in normal position by the same motion of the handle which energizes the`driving motor.

9. In a call box the combination of a driving motor, a signal wheel and finger and a handle to energize such motor with a series of. starting and signaling keys adapted each when operated, after the mechanism has been set, to start the mechanism and deter-mine the call.

l0. `In a call box the combination of a driving motor, a signal wheel and finger and a handle to energize such motor with a series of starting and signaling keys adapted each when operated, after the mechanism has been set, to start the mechanism and determine the call, and devices whereby all of such keys are normally re-set bythe same action which energzes the motor.

1l. In a call box the combination of the main line with two branches thereto in the box, one containing a signaling wheel and arm and a return call device, the other provided with the circuit breaker whereby the current may be shunted at will to the first mentioned branch so as to cause its mechanism to operate.

12. In a call box the combination ofthe main line with two branches theretoin the box,

IOO

one containing a signaling wheel and arm and a return call device, the other provided with the circuit breaker whereby the current may be shunted at will to the rst mentioned branch so as to cause its mechanism to operate, said circuit breaker adapted to be automatically operated by the operation of `the box handle before it has reached the limit of its motion so that a return signal can be received without re-winding or re-setting the mechanism.

13. In a call box the combination of a motor mechanism, a handle for energizing the same, a return call device and means for energizing such device upon a slight motion of the handle and before the motor mechanism is energized, and manually operated release and signal keys adapted to set the box in operation after the handle has been moved to its extreme position.

14. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally low resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby.

15. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally low resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby, and a motor mechanism to drive the signal wheel.

16. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally low resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby and a motor mechanism to drive the signal wheel, and a handle to energize the motor mechanism.

17. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally low resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby and a motor mechanism to drive the signal wheel, and a handle to energize the motor mechanism, and said handle adapted when moved partially through its excursion to shunt the whole current through the box into the magnet and thus place the magnet and its return call in series with the whole line so as to receive any signal passing over the line.

18. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally low resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby and a motor mechanism to drive the signalwheel, and a handle to energize the motor mechanism, and said handle adapted when moved partially through its excursion to shunt the whole current through the box into the magnet and thus place the magnet and its return call in series with the whole line so as to receive any signal passing over the line and adapted further when moved on to release such shunting mechanism and energize the motor.

19. In a call box the combination of the main line upon which a number of boxes are placed in series, with two branches in each box, one of said branches of normally lovvr resistance and the other containing the signaling wheel and arm and a magnet with a return signal mechanism operated thereby and a motor mechanism to drive the signal wheel, and a handle to energize the motor mechanism, and said handle adapted when moved partially through its excursion to shunt the whole current through the box into the magnet and thus place the magnet and its return call in series with the Whole line so as to receive any signal passing over the line and adapted further when moved on to release such shunting mechanism and energize the motor, and a series of manually operated circuit breakers whereby the current may be shunted to the magnet and the mechanism be started at will.

20. In a call box the combination of two circuits within the box, one containing a series of circuit breakers along its length, the other containing the signal Wheel and finger and a motor mechanism for driving the signal wheel, and a circuit closing device traveling with the signal wheel and operating against such circuit breakers so as to restore the circuit broken by any one of them and thus divert the current from the signal Wheel at a period determined by the position of such circuit breaker.

21. In a call box the combination of two circuits within the box, one containing a series of circuit breakers along its length, the other containing the signal wheel and finger and a motor mechanism for driving the signal wheel, and a circuit closing device traveling with the signal wheel and operating against such circuit breakers so as to restore the circuit broken by any one of them and thus divert the current from the signal Wheel at a period determined by the position of such circuit breaker, and a manually operated circuit closer adapted to re-set all of such circuit breakers and restore the circuit by single action.

22. In a call box the combination of two circuits within the box, one containing a series of circuit breakers along its length, the other containing the signal wheel and finger and a motor mechanism for driving the signal wheel,

and a circuit closing device traveling with the IOO IIO

signal wheel and operating against suc-h circuit breakers so as to restore the circuit.

closer adapted to re-set all of such circuit I breakers and restore the circuit by single action, said manually operated circuit closer being the same device which energizes the Io motor so that the main circuit is established Whenever the driving mechanism is re-energized.

i HENRY H. CUTLER.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. GUNTHORP, VIRGINIA WILLEY. v 

